Live: Britain and the world say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II with grand funeral in London

An icon of the era, Elizabeth II, who died after 70 years of historic reign, took her final farewell on Monday at an impressive state funeral at Westminster Abbey in the presence of leaders from around the world, before being buried privately in Windsor.

In his sermon, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, spiritual leader of the Church of England, praised life Queendedicated for seven decades to his people.

“People who love to serve are rare in any walk of life. Leaders who love to serve are even rarer. But in all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered, and those who cling to power and privilege will be forgotten.” — Welby. said.

The Westminster Abbey Choir and the Royal Chapel Choir made nearly 2,000 attendees vibrate with their songs, including some 500 world leaders and monarchs, from US President Joe Biden to Brazilian Jair Bolsonaro, as well as Kings Felipe and Letizia of Spain and the honorary Juan. Carlos and Sofia – Emperor of Japan Naruhito.

The breathtaking fanfare of the trumpeters of the royal house cavalry was followed by two minutes of silence, which was observed in all corners of the country, from streets to parks or bars, where many followed the ceremony on television.

The service ended with the national anthem “God Save the King”, performed in honor of the new monarch, Carlos III.

This followed later, accompanied by his brothers and sons, the removal of the coffin from the abbey, which was carried by eight porters and was covered with the royal standard, imperial crown, scepter and orb, symbols Queen.

The coffin was loaded into a car of the Royal Navy, which, harnessed by dozens of sailors and accompanied by soldiers of three regiments close to the monarch, made a long procession through the center of the city. London to Wellington Arch at the corner of Hyde Park.

The monarch’s great-grandchildren, Prince George, 9, second in line, and his sister Charlotte, 7, followed the procession in an official car, along with their mother Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Camilla, the new Queen consort.

Later remnants Isabella II They had to be delivered by hearse to Windsor, a city about 40 km west of the capital, where the famous castle is located, which will become the final resting place Queen.

Crowds in the streets to say goodbye to Elizabeth II

On the eve of the funeral, Buckingham Palace released a rare photo of Elizabeth II, taken for her “platinum jubilee” in June, in which she is dressed in pale blue and smiling a beaming smile.

Elizabeth II died on September 8 at the age of 96 while spending the summer at her Scottish residence in Balmoral.

His health had not ceased to deteriorate for a year, but the disappearance of the monarch, whose presence seemed almost eternal, shocked the country and the world.

The United Kingdom honored her with 10 days of national mourning, parades and processions, as well as massive riots that made the protests of the Republican minority almost invisible.

Her eldest son, aged 73, succeeded her as Carlos III. Still one of the least respected members of the British royal family, his popularity has risen in recent days.

Westminster Abbey could not accommodate the crowds of Britons eager to accompany them. Queen to end.

Early in the morning, thousands of people were already waiting on the Mall, the famous avenue leading to Buckingham Palace, some with British flags, to watch the procession pass after the state funeral.

“We have always said that if Queen was dying, we came to his state funeral. We’ve already come to the wedding [reales]for the anniversary [de Platino en junio]. We are looking forward to the hearse,” said Liz, 69, who arrived with her friend Jane at 5:30 am.

Isabella II reunited with her parents and husband

A symbol of an era of great change, Elizabeth II ascended the throne in 1952 in a United Kingdom still mired in post-war war and walked away in 2022 from the post-pandemic and Brexit.

He met not only with 15 British Prime Ministers, from Winston Churchill to the current Liz Truss, but also with such historical figures as the Soviet Nikita Khrushchev, Mother Teresa of Calcutta or the South African Nelson Mandela. Similarly, artists like Charlie Chaplin, Michael Jackson or Lady Gaga.

In Windsor, the coffin will be transferred to St George’s Chapel along the large avenue that runs through the castle grounds. Known for being the scene of the last royal weddings, this 15th-century church will host another religious service with 800 guests, including the deceased’s staff. Queen.

There, the crown, orb and scepter will be removed from the coffin and placed on the altar. The most senior official of the royal court, the Lord Chamberlain, will break his “rule of command” and place it over the coffin, symbolizing the end of the reign of Elizabeth II.

Later, at the last private ceremony reserved for the closest relatives, Queen She will be buried in the “George VI Memorial”, an annex where her parents and the ashes of her sister Margaret are already buried.

The remains of her husband, Prince Philip, will be buried next to her, moving them from the royal crypt, where they have been since his death in April 2021 at the age of nearly 100 years.